Loop spreading device



Dec. 23, 1958 1.. w. BESTHOFF LOOP SPREADING DEVICE Filed Sept. 19, 1955 w W w w IN V EN TOR. ZdlU/"/K'Q W565 f/wf/ ATTOE/VEX) ni ted States Willcox & Gibbs Sewing Machine Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 19, 1955, Serial No. 535,155

1 Claim. (Cl. 112-187) The present invention relates to a novel loop spreading device for sewing machines.

Heretofore, in sewing machines of the Feldlock type as disclosed in Patent No. 1,253,507 and of the Flatlock type as disclosed in Patent No. 1,041,652, loop spreaders have been made in which the spreading needles have been formed integral therewith and in predetermined spaced relation thereon for each gauge, i. e., spacing between the sewing needles. These have been costly to manufacture and, should one needle be damaged, could not be readily repaired but required a complete replacement. Further, the prior spreaders required a large supply of devices to be maintained on hand to accommodate the various gauges and the various number of needles which may be found on different machines, thus necessitating that a large inventory be maintained.

The present invention overcomes this by providing a loop spreader construction which is economical to manufacture and maintain, and which is adjustable so that one unit will accommodate three different gauges and l to 4 needles as required.

In carrying out the present invention the loop spreader is formed as an elongate body having the forward end upturned and provided with inwardly extending sockets predeterminately spaced laterallyof the body into which spreader needles may be inserted and adjustably positioned axially and angularly with respect to the body so as to properly locate the needles for the required gauge and location with respect to the looper mechanisms. Further, since the needles are separate independent needles, damaged needles can be readily replaced without the necessity of discarding the whole spreader unit.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification'and claims when considered in connection with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a sectio-nalview of a portion of a frame of a sewing machine showing the loop spreader of the present invention in position thereon.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the loop spreader.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the loop spreader.

Fig. 4 is a front view of a spreader needle.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the spreader needles in adjusted position.

As shown in the drawings, the loop spreader of the present invention comprises a mounting bracket having a spreader needle holder 11 pivotally mounted thereon by a pivot stud 12 threaded into the bracket. As shown in the drawings, the pivot stud passes through a flat portion 11a of the holder intermediate the ends thereof, which flat portion engages the top fiat surface 100: of the bracket 10 and provides a substantial bearing surface therefor. If desired, the head of the pivot stud 12 may be provided with an aperture 12a whereby lubricant can be supplied to the contacting surfaces.

The holder has at the forward end an upwardly inclined portion 11b having a plurality of uniformly spaced sockets 13 therein extending inwardly from the end to with a shank portion 14a and an obtuse thread-engaging portion 14b having a hook at the end thereof as shown in Fig. 4. The other end of the holder is provided with a cam roller 15 rotatably mounted thereon by means of a stud bolt 16 threaded into the holder.

As shown in Fig. 1, the bracket is adapted to be mounted on the frame 17 of the sewing machine so that it extends over the looper lever 18 which actuates the loopers 19 in timed relation to the sewing operation as is usual. The looper lever carries an actuating cam 20 on its upper surface which cooperates with the cam roller 15 on the holder so as to actuate the loop spreader device whenever the looper lever is operated during the sewing operation.

A feature of the invention resides in the fact that the spreader needles are separate individual needles with their shanks mounted in the sockets 13 so that they can be adjusted axially of the socket in order to properly locate the thread-engaging portion 14b of the needle under the plate of the machine and in proper cooperative relation with the loopers as shown in Fig. 1. Also, the needles can be adjusted angularly by rotating the shanks in the sockets so that one loop spreader can be used with several different gauge machines. For example, a holder having the sockets uniformly spaced apart, as shown in Fig. 2, can have their needles adjusted to accommodate 4 and 6 gauge machines (the gauge being the number of 32nds of an inch between the rows of stitches or stitching needles) as well as a Flatlock machine having a needle spacing of approximately .200", byflangularly relating the needles. The position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 is for a 4 gauge, full line position is for a 6 gauge, and the dot and dash position is for a Flatlock machine. Similarly, a holder having the sockets spaced a slightly greater distance apart can be adjusted to accommodate 8, 9 and 10 gauge machines. While the shanks can have any desired cross-section, they are herein illustrated as being cylindrical to facilitate adjustment thereof. Set screws 21 threaded into the extending portion engage the needle shanks and secure the needles in adjusted position in the sockets.

Should it be desired to use the loop spreader with a two, or even a single, needle machine, this can be accomplished by merely removing the additional spreader needles fro-m the socket.

It will be seen, therefore, that the loop spreader device of the present invention is versatile and greatly reduces the number of loop spreaders heretofore required to be stocked when integral spreader needles were employed. i

Not only does the loop spreader device of the present invention provide a device of great versatility in its use, but it alsoprovides a device in which broken needles can be readily replaced without the necessity of replacing the whole loop spreader device as was the case heretofore when needles were made integral with the holder.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claim and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

A loop spreader for a Feldlock or Flatlock type sewing machine having a looper lever provided with a spreader operating cam thereon comprising a bracket adapted to be mounted on the machine to overlie the lever, a holder pivotally mounted intermediate the ends thereof on the bracket, the forward end of the holder being upwardly inclined and having a plurality of cylindrical, uniformly, laterally spaced spreader needle receiving sockets extending inwardly from the end thereof and the rearward end of the holder having a cam engaging means thereon adapted to engage the operating cam, spreader needles having cylindrical shanks at one end 3 disposed in said sockets for axial and angular adjustments and having forwardly extending thread engaging portions at the other end, and means for locking the shanks in adjusted position in said sockets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,113,813 Mofiatt Oct. 13, 1914 

